St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1887-01-02
IRON AND STEEL.
s Review of the Situation for the
Wear Just Closed.

PHILADELPHIA, Jan. 1.-The bulletin
of the American Iron and Steel associa-
ton, published to-day, contains a review of
the iron and steel industries Of the United
States during the year ending yesterday,
which shows some surprising results. 1t
says:
Our iron and steel industries were especially
active during the year 1886, and this activity
was fairly distributed throughout the year.
All Improvement in the condition Of most of
these industries had commenced in 1885, and
when the new year opened and the temporary
Encouragement produced by the Connells-
vile strike had Disappeared the certainty Of
much more active year than 1885 bad be-
come assured. Orders became more abund-
ant and, except in one or two branches they
have since continued to bear Il
MOST FAVORABLE RELATION
to our producing capacity. Our production
in 1886 of pig iron, Bessemer steel and steel
rails, open hearth steel, structural iron and
steel aud some of the other products has ac-
cordingly been much larger than in 1885, and
our production Of pig iron, Bessemer steel
Bessemer steel rails and open hearth steel
has been much the largest i'll our history.
We estimate the production OF these four
! leading products in 1885 to have been as fol-
| lows, compared with the production in 1885,
| Pig iron, 100000 gross tons, against 4,044,-
| 526 in 1855; BeSsemer steel ingots, 2,00U, 900
gross tons, against 1,5l9, 430 in 1885; Bessemer
steel rails 1000. 600 gross tons, against 950 Al
! in 1885, and open hearth steel, 200, COR gross
TONS against i35.17S in 1885. The figures for
| 1885 have Teen estimated with care, and we
| believe will be fully verified by the official
returns which we are now collecting from the
manufacturers. They are marvellous
IN their mere magnitude. but
more marvellous still in showing our
| progress as iron and steel producers in one
year. Our production of iron ore in 1856 was
| about 10, 00U, coo tons, and we imported about
| LOCO. 900 tons. Notwithstanding the STEADY
| increase in the demand for iron and steel dur
ing 1886, it is remarkable that prices advanced
| so slightly. Such advance as was established
came gradually, and in some instances as in
the case OF bar iron, too slowly to meet the
| increased cost of production. The price of
| nails during the year actually declined, al
| though the consumption increased. In this
| case the producing capacity of the country
is much behind its wants. After comparing
prices. the Review proceeds: sit may be
said of the present prices for pig iron and
steel rails that they have only recently been
established, and that in the case of steel rails
| large contracts Cor delivery in 1888 have been
made at S34 and S35. Our
| IMPORTATIONS OF IRON AND STEEL
during 1856 have been very heavy and much
| in excess of the importationS OF 1855. In
1856 we imported about 400 tons of pig iron,
about $4,000 tons of old iron, over 100, 600 tons
of steel blooms and biets nearly $50, 000 tons
and about 1000 tons of steel rails. Our tota
importations of iron and steel in 1885 will
amount to 10.000.000 tons. The stocks of un
sold pig iron in this country at the close Of
1856 wero probably no larger than at the close
OF 1850 when they amounted to ,6S5 gross
tons. which was a very small surplus wher
the pig iron wants of the country
are considered. During 1856 this
country built over 1000 miles OF
new railroad against 1913 miles reported
By Mr.. Poor for 1855. This great in crease il
railroad building in 1856 contributed largely
to the improvement in cur iron and steel in
dustries which has been noticed. The gen
eral business outlook for 1887 is at this time
very favorable, and for our iron and steel in
dustries it is especially so. Railroad building
promises to be even more active in 1887 thar
il 1856, but none of us know what day Oh
month may bring forth in the stock market
or in the financial or tariff legislation of con
gress or in the condition of the country.
crops. Of one thing we feel certain. Speak
ing generally, it must stop where they are OF
we will have such an influx of foreign iroT
and steel in 1887 as we have rarely if ever
experienced. We need not dwell on the
consequences which would be sure to follow